Kitchen & Bath: Shower Stalls and Tub Enclosures

Showers are more than cramped
cubbyholes these days. Separate
stalls, once popular in the '30s and
'40s, are back in style. Compared
to the claustrophobic, fullyenclosed
shower stalls of days gone
by, shower enclosures now are larger,
let in more light, and offer elaborate
features such as multiple
shower heads, bench seats, and
steam. These 2-, 3-, and 4-sided
glass surrounds open up the interior
of the bathroom, eliminating
the constricting mass of full-partition
walls inside the bathroom.
Even the styles, colors, and glazing
patterns in combination tub/shower
doors are so varied that virtually
any taste can be satisfied.
Price Vs. Quality
At the low end are cheap-o tubenclosure
kits for the do-it-yourselfer.
These often cost less than
$100. The professional who warrants
his